


You don't have to be perfect

by wouldnt_thatbenifty



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Affection, Affectionate Insults, Crying, Fluff, Gay Panic, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, M/M, Painting, Panic Attacks, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:48:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29638329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wouldnt_thatbenifty/pseuds/wouldnt_thatbenifty
Summary: Roman painter auPrinxiety hurt/comfortIdea requested from knight.in.rusted.armor and languortears on Instagram
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders
Kudos: 28





	You don't have to be perfect

**Author's Note:**

> Definitely not me projecting onto characters nuuuu of course not.

Roman loves to paint. 

He loves the freedom of it, the excitement with every idea, the fluidness, the colours from which he can choose anything. But like everything, it also has it’s downsides. 

See, Roman loves to paint perfectly, and quite often he can’t do that. Right now he’s sitting on a stool in his room, infront of a massive, half-finished canvas painting. It’s 5am, so the light is flickering in through his fluttering blinds and fallling on every brush stroke, and he can’t tear his eyes away from it, and that stupid smudge he’s made, and the slightly wonky shape of the windows, and the horibble attempt at blending the sky, and the off kilter drawbridge, and all the mistakes all those mistakes he cannot fix. 

A few minutes pass and he is still staring at the painting, eyes slightly glazed over and breathing very faint. Like he’s holding his breath. Why is he holding his breath?! He takes a sharp breath in, and out. Why can’t he breathe?

It’s just a painting, it’s just a painting, it doesn’t matter they won’t see it they can’t see it or they’ll know how worthless and untalented I am and they won’t trust me with ideas anymore and then Thomas won’t listen to me and I’ll be nothing.

He gasps, opening his eyes and springing to his feet. He just needs a breather that’s all, a nice walk in the fresh air. He sprints out his room, down long corridors, left, and right, then another right, until he remembered he had forgotten to cover up all the evidence that he not only paints but he is awful at it, oh god what if they see it..

In his preocuppied state he didn’t even notice as he bumped into a blurry figure who have out a cry of alarm and started following him back to his room.

‘Nononono they’re going to see it!’ he murmmered, quickly turning round the other way and heading to the garden, trying not to look behind him, and trying not to feel the pounding of his heart as their footsteps grew closer. 

He had just reached the bench outside and collapsed onto it, putting his head into his hands when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He froze, drawing in a breath.  
‘Hey, hey. Princey can you hear me?’  
A low voice spoke calmly. 

‘Princey? Hey look at me’ 

The figure slowly pried Roman’s hands away from his face and held them gently, running his thumb along his fingers. Romans gaze was still locked down, his heart beating frantically for escape. 

‘Roman.’ the voice went softer, ‘Please’

He looked up and stared at the face opposite his, all drawn tight and concerned,  
‘Virgil?’ he breathed  
‘That’s right,’ The face smiled slightly  
‘Can you breathe for me okay? Keep looking at me’  
Roman nodded, and began following Virgils breaths, in for 4, hold for 7, out for 8. 

There were a couple of stumbles, but Virgil’s hands moved from his hands to ever so gently cup his face and oh.

‘Hey, hey it’s okay. It’s okay, Roman.’ Virgil brushed a few tears carefully away. ‘You’re doing amazing,’

Roman took a shaky breath in, and kept going. They soon found a rhythmn, and Roman found he didn’t mind gazing into Virgils eyes. So determined, and so very dark, like the darkest night sky with tinges of deep purple. 

He could get lost in those easily. And his eyelashes, also so dark, and elegant. He’d love to paint Virgil one day. Paint every detail, capture that soft smile, and those soft lips.

‘Roman?’ Oh right, he was supposed to be calming down, not gay panicking. 

Virgil looked at him with that intense stare of his and he looked away, cheeks burning. ‘You okay now?’

Roman swallowed. ‘Yeah’ he said quietly. ‘...thank you Virgil.’  
Virgil smiled again, and took his hands slowly away from Roman’s face. Roman didn’t know whether to glare at him or kiss him. He was sure it was a common misconception.

‘No problem. Do you want to talk about it?’  
‘What?’  
‘What caused your panic attack?’  
‘Oh um..’ Roman was surprisingly awkward. ‘Okay. I... paint.’  
He searched for a reaction in Virgil, but he just waited paitently for Roman to continue.

‘I don’t like painting sometimes’  
Virgil tilted his head like a cat, ‘How come?’  
Well that was adorable

‘I... make too many- too many mistakes and if I make too many mistakes then my painting is rubbish and I’m never going to do better and you all will hate me because I’m just a- a stupid, untalented-‘  
Virgil glared at him  
‘What?!’  
‘You absolute moron Princey. You absolute fucking moron.’  
‘Wh-‘  
Virgil pulled him in for a hug 

‘You can be so stupid sometimes, you know that? You think just because you make one piece of bad art that we’re going to, what, disown you? Heck I bet it’s not even as bad as you think. You can learn from your mistakes, and you can do better, and you are more than enough. You don’t have to be perfect okay Roman? I- We love you.’

Roman sniffed, hugging Virgil tighter, ‘Stop it or I will stain your jacket with my mascara’

‘I don’t mind.’

‘You do mind you’re just being nice’

‘OH OKAY FINE I do mind geez Princey what do you want me to say? No you absolutely cannot express your feelings’

Roman laughed, pulling back and wiping his eyes.

They sat there for a while, on the bench. And Roman could finally breath in the fresh air from the garden. He relished in it, closing his eyes and leaning back, breathing deeply in time to Virgils breaths, in and out.

‘Hey Roman?’ 

‘Hmm?’ He opened one eye.

‘Can I see that oh so disastrous painting you claim to hate?’ Virgil teased

‘Oh shove off Stormcloud’  
‘Pwease’ Virgil looked at him, and that’s all he had to do, wasn’t it?

A moment later, and they were in Romans room, standing side by side. Roman was looking from the painting to Virgil, and back again.  
‘You aren’t saying anything’

Virgil punched him playfully in the shoulder  
‘Roman you really are an idiot’  
‘Hey!’

‘It’s...great. No scratch that it-it’s incredible.’  
Roman protested, ‘ I haven’t even finished it yet and-‘  
Virgil took Romans hand, intertwining their fingers ‘Oh shush. I...I love it’ 

Roman blushed ‘You do?’  
‘Okay don’t make me say it again’ 

Roman grinned. After a minute, he said, ‘Can I ask a weird question?’  
‘Shoot,’

‘Would I perhaps, one day, in the near future, have the pleasure of capturing your glorious visage?’  
Virgil smirked and turned to face Roman, ‘English please my Prince,’ 

Roman’s heart jumped, and he stepped closer. ‘I said’ he wrapped his hands around Virgils waist 

‘Yes?’ Virgil pressed closer, his arms round Romans neck.

Romans breath fanned over Virgils lips.

‘Could I...paint you?’ he breathed.

Virgil leaned forward,

‘No.’

‘What?!’ Roman pouted, ‘The world needs to see your beauty!’

‘Pfft- sure Princey.’ Virgil rolled his eyes fondly

‘It does!’

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed!! Comments and kudos are appreciated!


End file.
